Dan Waters, Big Cypress Basin Board Vice-Chair
SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
Dan Waters was appointed to the Big Cypress Basin Board by Governor Ron DeSantis in December 2020. He also served on the Big Cypress Basin Board from 2016 through mid-summer 2020.
Waters is a professional engineer who currently serves as a project manager for Peninsula Engineering in Naples. Waters has worked in Collier County and southwest Florida as an engineer for over 20 years and in that time has worked on some of the largest and most significant land development projects in southwest Florida.
In addition to working in the private sector as an engineering consultant, Waters previously worked for the South Florida Water Management District in the regulation division. During his time with the District, Waters initially served as a section leader responsible for the supervision of the surface water permitting program within the District’s Lower West Coast Service Center in Ft. Myers. Waters later assumed the role of the Regulatory Administrator of the Lower West Coast Service Center and was responsible for management and supervision of the District’s environmental resource and consumptive use permitting programs in Collier, Lee, and portions of Charlotte and Hendry counties.
Waters was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and has lived in Florida since 1980. Waters grew up in Hollywood, Florida and attended Chaminade Madonna High School in Hollywood prior to attending the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida for his undergraduate studies. Following his graduation from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering in 1999, Waters moved to Collier County and began his professional career with Wilson Miller (now Stantec). Waters later earned a Master’s degree of Engineering with a major in Environmental Engineering Sciences from the University of Florida. The focus of the Master’s work was stormwater and wastewater treatment techniques and Waters’ professional and academic interests include the ability to apply proven wastewater treatment techniques to stormwater management systems.
In addition to his professional work, Waters has been involved in civic service within southwest Florida. Waters’ involvement includes prior service on the board of the Calusa Chapter of the Florida Engineering Society, the Big Cypress Basin Board, and Waters is currently a board member of the Southwest Florida Land Preservation Trust (SWFLPT). The SWFLPT was instrumental in organizing community support and advocating for the construction of the Gordon River Greenway in Collier County and now that the greenway is complete the SWFLPT is beginning to alter its mission to support water resource restoration projects within Collier County.
Waters and his wife Amy, a lifelong Collier County resident, live in the City of Naples.
Current Term: August 2023 – March 2026
Contact Address:
Big Cypress Basin Service Center
2660 North Horseshoe Drive, Suite 101A
Naples, FL 34104
Phone: (239) 263-7615
Email: dwaters@sfwmd.gov
Areas Represented: Collier County and portions of Monroe County
Appointed By: Governor Ron DeSantis
Original Appointment: August 4, 2023
Education:
• M.E. - Environmental Sciences: University of Florida
• B.S. - Civil Engineering: University of Florida
Occupation: Project Manager, Peninsula Engineering
Professional, Business and Service Affiliations:
• Southwest Florida Land Preservation Trust (SWFLPT)
• Florida Engineering Society - Calusa Chapter